COPD is the third leading cause of death worldwide and has a particular impact on the population of India. About 53 million people are affected by COPD in India, and this disease disproportionately affects those in the low-middle income class. This review explores the global impact of COPD and its impact on the population of India. Within the country, there is also regional and gender variation in the impact of COPD. Moreover, the contribution of biomass smoke exposure on the development of COPD is particularly pronounced in India. We conducted a literature search on common databases of publications that discuss the risk of biomass exposure on development of COPD, particularly in India. Identifying differences and recognizing the importance of biomass smoke exposure will allow for future efforts to reduce their impact on the population of India.